A member of the ALS Design Competition judging panel living with ALS tests a BCIT student-designed communication device.
BCIT Biomedical Engineering students have won a competition aimed at improving the lives of people living with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). This is the second consecutive year BCIT students have placed at the ALS Design Competition, hosted by the ALS Society of BC.
Three BCIT Biomedical Engineering teams entered the competition. The winning team was made up of Biomedical Engineering students Stephen Tarrant, Julie Hrvatin, and Brad Shaw, along with software developer Morgan Redman and faculty supervisor Bruno Jaggi. The team also had assistance from Joe Newton and Nancy Paris of the Technology Centre.
L-R: Steve Whiteside, President of the ALS Society of BC; Stephen Tarrant; Brad Haws; Julie Hrvatin; Morgan Redman; and Graham Wickham, Chair of the ALS Design Competition Steering Committee.
The team developed a device called the VersaCom Communication System, which bridges the gap between traditional low-tech paper alphabet boards and expensive high-tech assistive/adaptive communication systems. Using the device, the user is able to compose a text message, or choose from among pre-recorded voice messages, using a scanning interface and a switch input.
The efficient user interface is designed to require little setup and have a minimal learning curve, making it useful in extended care environments or by users unfamiliar with computers. An audience-facing LCD display lets them read text messages while facing the user instead of looking over their shoulder.
High-quality custom audio messages, including voice-banked snippets of the client’s own voice, can be easily recorded on an external computer and saved on an SD memory card to be played by the VersaCom. An audible alarm is available if the user holds down the switch longer than usual. The user has control over scanning speed, volume, and display brightness. The device is light and portable, and can be positioned on a cushion in front of the user or mounted on a wheelchair. It uses ordinary rechargeable AA batteries and has a very long battery life, and can also be powered with an AC adapter to a wall plug or over USB from any computer. In the event no other power is available and the batteries have run down, it can still be used just like a manual alphabet board.
The winning team received a $5,000 award (first prize) from the ALS Society of BC. The competition is open to students at the undergraduate or graduate level in engineering or related disciplines in Canadian post-secondary institutions.
